Weighing and registering attachment for refrigerators



(No Model.)

' W. B. DIGKSON. WBIGHING AND REGISTERING ATTAUHMENT FOR REFRIGERATORS;

Patented Nov; 14, 1893.

5 wan imam;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM 13 DIOKSONfOF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

.WEIGHING AND REGISTERING ATTACHMENT FOR REFRlGERATORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 508,507, dated November14, 1893.

A Application filed May 1, 1893. Serial No. 5 (N0 m m To wZZ whom itmayconcern.-

Be it known that-I, WILLIAM B. DIoKsoN, of Kansas City, Jackson county,Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Weighingand Registering Attachments for Refrigerators, of which the following isa full, clear, and-exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a parthereof.

My invention relates to improvements in refrigerators; and the object ofthe invention, is to provide a weighing and registering attachment, bywhich the quantity of ice placed within the refrigerator shall beautomatically weighed and the quantity in pounds and fractlons thereofdisclosed to-the View of the purchaser. Furthermore to provide anattachment ofthis character, which is simple and lnexpensive ofconstruction, and which may be easily applied to or detached from arefrigerator of the usual construction. 7

To the above purposes, my invention consists in certain peculiar andnovel features of construction and arrangement, as will be herelnafterdescribed and pointed out in the claim.

In order that my invention may be fully understood,I will proceed todescribe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure l, is a perspective of a refrigerator constructed in accordancewith my invention. Fig. 2, is avertical longitudinal sectional viewtaken on the line ww of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a Vertical and enlarged crosssectional view of a portion of the refrigerator, and taken on the linecc-m of Fig. 1. Fig. 4, is a face View of a portion of a refrigeratorand'showing a slightly modified form of the register. Fig. 5, is a faceView of a portion of the refrigerator, and showing a slightly modifiedform of construction. Fig. 6, is a vertical sectional view of a portionof the refrigerator taken on the line yy of Fig. 5. Fig. 7, is a faceView of a portion of a refrigerator the registering apparatus of whichis' of modified construction. Fig. 8, is a vertical sectional view of aportion of the refrigerator taken on the line .e-z of Fig. 7, and Fig.9, is a cross sectional View of the shaft and the ratchet'wheel whichcarries the indicator-finger, and also the spring-actuated pawl forengaging said ratchet wheel.

ftion.

In the drawings, 1 designates a refrigerator of the usual or anypreferred construction;

this refrigerator being divided by the horizontal partition 2, into theupper and lower compartments 3 and 4 respectively. The upper compartment3, is for the reception of the ice, and is provided with the usual drainpipe 4 communicating therewith at its 60 upper end and extendingdownward through the bottom of the refrigerator as shown at4 The lowercompartment 4., is provided with the usual removable partitions orshelves 5,

upon which is placed, and also upon the bot- The upper or ice the usualconstruction and arrangement. Se-

cured by screws or other suitable means upon the upper side of thepartition 2 are the tubular standards 9, one standard 9 being locatedadjacent to each corner of said partiguide sleeve 9, and have theirupper ends secured rigidly or permanently to the under side and near thecorners of a horizontal A depending guide rod 10, fits and is adapted tooperate vertically within each platform 11; said platform marginallyconforming to the shape of and fitting snugly within the uppercompartment 3. A spiral lift-spring 12 surrounds or encircles eachVertical guide rod 10, and bears at-its opposite ends against the upperends of the tubular standards 9, and the lower side of the platform 11,or an enlargement formed at the upper ends of each rod 10 as shown.These lift-springs 12 are of predetermined resistance,

and are adapted as different weights or press- 5 ure is placed uponthe-platform 11, to allow said platform to move down a certain'distance,which through mechanism to be hereinafter described causes the weight orpressure upon the platform 11 to be automatically Ioo determined anddisclosed to view at the outer side of the refrigerator. To prevent thelift-,, springs from raising the horizontal platform too high andpossibly disconnecting the pendent rods 10 from their connection withthe tubular standards 9, the stop-pins or strips 11 are provided, thesestrips projecting inwardly a slight distance from the side walls of therefrigerator and into the path of the platform 11, so that as the weightor pressure is removed from said platform, the springs 12 exerting theirupward pressure will cause said platform to contact with and restagainst the under side of said stop-pins 11.

Extending transversely of the refrigerator a suitable distance below themovable platform 11, and journaled at its rear end and near its forwardend in bearings 12 is a horizontal shaft 13, the front end of whichprojects a slight distance beyond the front side of the refrigerator,and carries rigidly secured thereon the indicator-finger 1 1. Bigidlymounted upon the shaft 13 at its middle is a gear-pinion 15, whichmeshes with a depending and vertical rack bar 16 secured at its upperend to the under side of the platform 11.

A plate provided with a quadrant scale 17 thereon to indicate pounds andfractions of a pound, is secured upon the front side of therefrigerator, and the indicator finger 14: is adapted as the platform 11is moved up or down to indicate or point out the pressure thereon uponthe scale 17.

Referring to Fig. 4 I show a circular plate 16 upon which the scale isinscribed; this circular plate and the scale inscribed entirely aroundsaid plate being adapted for use with a refrigerator which may containone hundred pounds-or more of ice at a time.

Referring to Fig. 6 I show a modified form of indicator, therefrigerator being in this i11- stance formed with a vertical slot 17through which projects, and also through the slotted and vertical scaleplate 19 the indicatordinger 18, which is secured to the front edge ormargin of the movable platform 11: the pinion and pendent rack bar 16beingin this instance dispensed with, and also the quadrant scale plate17 and indicator 14. A circular register plate is provided with a scale20, and is secured to the front side of the refrigerator in any suitablemanner, and an indicator-finger 21 is carried by a revoluble bolt 22,and is adapted to be moved by hand so as to register the amount of iceindicated by the indicator-finger 18 upon the scale plate 19. By thisarrangement, itwill be seen that the amount of icereceived each morning,will be automatically indicated upon the scale plate 19, and by movingthe register-finger 21 a corresponding distance each morning, the totalamount of ice received during the week will be known, thereby notnecessitating an entiredependenceupon the word of the iceman.

Referring to Figs. 7, 8 and 9, I show a still further modified form ofconstruction; the arrangement being such in this instance that while theindicator-finger 14 will be moved around upon the scale plate 17 theproper dis tance each time the ice is placed therein, it

will be prevented automatically from moving backward, due to therevoluble movement of the shaft 13 and caused by the upward movement ofthe platform 11 when the weight or pressure is removed therefrom. Inthis instance a ratchet wheel 23 is provided; said ratchet wheel beingformed with a cylindrical projection 21 which has a bearing2-t hearingin the side of the refrigerator,and carries at its outer end theindicator-linger 14. The ratchet wheel 23 is further formed at its innorside with a socket 25 in which is revolubly mounted the front end of theshaft 13, and said shaft is further provided adjacent to its front endwith the radial arm or extension 26, to the outer end of which ispivotally mounted upon the bolt 27, the pawl 28. The free end of thepawl 28 isheld in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel by thespring 29 which is carried by or secured to the free end of the arm orextension 26 of the shaft. It will be seen from this construction, thatas the weight or pressure is applied upon the movable platform 11 therotation of the shaft 13 will cause the revoluble movement of theratchet wheel in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 9, and also cause theindicator finger carried by said ratchet wheel to indicate upon thescale plate 17 the weight or the amount of pressure upon the platform11. As the pressure is removed from the platform 11,however, thebackward rotation of the shaft 13 will cause the spring-actuated pawl 28to slip over the teeth of the ratchet wheel 23 without changing theposition of the indicator-finger. It will thus be seen that with thisconstruction the indicator and registering mechanism are combined. Thisconstruction are especially applicable to very large refrigerators.

The operation of the device is as follows: The door 8 is opened and theice placed upon the movable platform 11. Accordingly as the weight ofthe ice is heavy or light, the platform moves downward a correspondingdistance, and the rack bar 16 carried thereby, meshing with the pinion15 rotates the shaft 13 and indicates upon the scale plate the amount ofice in the refrigerator. Should any quantity or all of the ice beremoved, the upward pressure of the springs 12 causes the platform tomove upwardly and resume its normal position against the under side ofthe stop-pins 11.

It is to be understood, that I do not wish to confine myself in theapplication of the invention to house or stationary refrigerators alone,but that I intend to use said attachment in connection withrefrigerator-cars, for packing house purposes, and in fact in all placeswhere it is applicable and desirable or necessary to use such a device.

From the above description, it will be seen that I have provided aweighing and registering attachment, which is simple and inexpensive ofconstruction, and which may easily be applied to or detached from arefrigerator.

IIQ

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

A refrigerator, having an ice chamber, a-

- 5 movable platform mounted therein, and a revoluble shaft 13 having anarm, and located in the said chamber, and adapted to be actuated by themovable platform, in combination with a ratchet-wheel having astub-shaft journaled in a side wall of the refrigerator,

and also having a tubular socket in which is revolubly mounted one endof the shaft 13,

a dial-plate upon the outer side of the refrigerator, an index fingercarried by the outer end of the stub-shaft, and a spring-actuated pawlcarried by the arm of the shaft 13, and engaging the ratchet-wheel,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM B. DIOKSON. Witnesses:

G. Y. THORPE, M. P. SMITH.

